Avery doubleCLICK Stylus

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Judie Hughes

February 11, 2002

Product Requirements:
Device:
Any touch-screen PDA

The first time my daughter saw the Avery doubleCLICK pen/stylus in my review box, she informed me that it was the pen Michael, a boy at her school carries. "Has he ever let you use it?" I asked her. "Nope," she replied "no one touches Michael's pen."

Well, whether you are a student or a professional, the doubleCLICK may be just what you need if you have been searching for an inexpensive stylus and ballpoint pen combination.

This combo is made of silver plastic, with deeply grooved black rubber grips at the top and middle.

You can choose between the black ball-point pen or the stylus by a simple twist of the barrel. In case you need confirmation of your selection, you can either look at the writing on the barrel or you can look at the extended tip once your selection has been made.

In a perfect example of how paying more doesn't always get you better value for your money, the doubleCLICK comes with a full-size black ball-point refill - unlike many of the higher priced multi-pens I have reviewed in the past.

The black ballpoint cartridge writes with a medium flow, and it seems to be a deeper black than several of the other ballpoints that I use on a regular basis. It also writes smoothly and without skipping. The stylus tip is slightly rounded and green. It is highly unlikely that you will ever mistake it for the ballpoint tip or vice-versa. I found that this tip wrote equally well on PDA screens with or without protection. As you can see here, the black rubber grip has deep swirling grooves cut into it. While they don't necessarily make you grip the pen any easier, they do give it a cool look.

The doubleCLICK weighs 0.7oz (21g) and measures in at 5.7" (14.4cm). With a 0.5" (1.3cm) grip, this pen is quite comfortable for extended periods of writing.

Although this pen might be a little bit flashy for those of you working in very conservative offices, there will be those that don't mind its "Terminator" styling and that will appreciate the doubleCLICK's low price and ease of operation.

As for my daughter, I am giving her this pen now that I have finished its review; she can't wait to take it to school to show Michael. ;0)

The Avery doubleCLICK is available from Stylus Central and other retailers.

Price: $8.95

Pros:
Inexpensive
Uses full-size ballpoint refill
Easy to operate

Cons:
None